Writing for Speaking

Writing for reading and writing for speaking are two different arts. Think about how a book translates to a movie. It must be shortened, long descriptions are replaced by a quick panoramic shot.

Many people try to write eloquently - which is beautiful for a narrative. However, most of us do not speak that way. We wouldn't say "So therefore, I come to you to present a phenomenal product that will not only help you save time and save energy, but will also bring forth an era of worry-free days and restful nights." We would say "Check out my product. It saves you time and energy and will help you sleep better at night."

When writing for video, think about your personality. If you're not the one that will be on camera, think about that person's personality or the personality of the company that is represented. If you're stuck, talk out loud as if you're talking to a potential client. If you think the person in the cubical next to you might think you're rather strange, put your blue tooth headset on and go for a walk. People will figure you're on a client call. But be sure to say it out loud before committing it to paper.

When you're done, read it. If you stumble over something more than once, then it's a problem spot. Even if you're not the one doing the on-camera read, if you're stumbling and you're the one who wrote it, then the talent will be sure to stumble as well. Read it through multiple times and make sure everything is easily read without stumbling and stuttering and can be read naturally.

If someone else is doing the read besides yourself, encourage them to make small changes to the script. Don't be offended if they change something that causes them to stumble. We all have different speech patterns and don't always say things the same way. Encouraging them to modify the WAY it is said, not necessarily the content, will allow for a more smooth shoot and a better end product.

Also, try to stay away from long lists. They are not only difficult to read, but also can be rather boring to watch. If you must convey a long list to your audience, consider doing it through a scrolling graphic rather than the voice-over. It allows for the video to switch from voice-over to just music, giving it a more interesting tone and jarring the viewer's attention. Switching it up says "this is important - pay attention!"

Finally, keep it short. If you want to do a 30 second spot, don't write 40 seconds of copy & ask the voice-over artist to read it quickly. How do you like the ends of medical commercials where they list the side effects at Micro-machine speed? If your entire commercial is at that speed, do you think the viewer will understand what they are hearing? Less is more. For a 30 second spot, write 25 seconds of copy and allow the music to fill the rest.